Method of manufacture of a thermal actuated ink jet printer

ABSTRACT

A method of manufacturing an ink jet printhead that includes etching a plurality of ink chambers in a semiconductor wafer that includes electrical circuitry. A first and second expansion layer and a conductive material layer between the first and second expansion layers are deposited on to the wafer and etched. The expansion layers are formed to be positioned over the ink chambers. Furthermore, the expansion layers are provided of a material that facilities displacement of the expansion layers upon heating thereof by the conductive material layer. The method includes the step of forming the expansive layers and conductive material layer into shutters for each ink chamber.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The following Australian provisional patent applications are hereby incorporated by cross-reference. For the purposes of location and identification, US patent applications identified by their US patent application serial numbers (USSN) are listed alongside the Australian applications from which the US patent applications claim the right of priority.

US PATENT/PATENT CROSS- APPLICATION REFERENCED (CLAIMING RIGHT OF AUSTRALIAN PRIORITY FROM PROVISIONAL AUSTRALIAN PATENT PROVISIONAL APPLICATION NO. APPLICATION) DOCKET NO. PO7991 09/113,060 ART01 PO7988 09/113,070 ART02 PO7993 09/113,073 ART03 PO9395 09/112,748 ART04 PO8017 09/112,747 ART06 PO8014  09/112,776, ART07 U.S. Pat. No. 6,227,648 PO8025 09/112,750 ART08 PO8032 09/112,746 ART09 PO7999 09/112,743 ART10 PO7998 09/112,742 ART11 PO8031 09/112,741 ART12 PO8030  6,196,541 ART13 PO7997  6,195,150 ART15 PO7979  09/113,053, ART16 U.S. Pat. No. 6,362,868 PO8015 09/112,738 ART17 PO7978 09/113,067 ART18 PO7982 09/113,063 ART19 PO7989  09/113,069, ART20 U.S. Pat. No. 6,362,869 PO8019 09/112,744 ART21 PO7980  09/113,058, ART22 U.S. Pat. No. 6,356,715 PO8018 09/112,777 ART24 PO7938 09/113,224 ART25 PO8016  09/112,804, ART26 U.S. Pat. No. 6,366,693 PO8024  09/112,805, ART27 U.S. Pat. No. 6,329,990 PO7940 09/113,072 ART28 PO7939 09/112,785 ART29 PO8501  6,137,500 ART30 PO8500 09/112,796 ART31 PO7987 09/113,071 ART32 PO8022  09/112,824, ART33 U.S. Pat. No. 6,398,328 PO8497 09/113,090 ART34 PO8020 09/112,823 ART38 PO8023 09/113,222 ART39 PO8504 09/112,786 ART42 PO8000  09/113,051, ART43 U.S. Pat. No. 6,415,054 PO7977 09/112,782 ART44 PO7934 09/113,056 ART45 PO7990 09/113,059 ART46 PO8499 09/113,091 ART47 PO8502  09/112,753, ART48 U.S. Pat. No. 6,381,361 PO7981  09/113,055, ART50 U.S. Pat. No. 6,317,192 PO7986 09/113,057 ART51 PO7983 09/113,054 ART52 PO8026 09/112,752 ART53 PO8027 09/112,759 ART54 PO8028 09/112,757 ART56 PO9394  09/112,758, ART57 U.S. Pat. No. 6,357,135 PO9396 09/113,107 ART58 PO9397  09/112,829, ART59 U.S. Pat. No. 6,271,931 PO9398  09/112,792, ART60 U.S. Pat. No. 6,353,772 PO9399  6,106,147 ART61 PO9400 09/112,790 ART62 PO9401  09/112,789, ART63 U.S. Pat. No. 6,304,291 PO9402 09/112,788 ART64 PO9403  09/112,795, ART65 U.S. Pat. No. 6,305,770 PO9405  09/112,749, ART66 U.S. Pat. No. 6,289,262 PP0959  09/112,784, ART68 U.S. Pat. No. 6,315,200 PP1397  6,217,165 ART69 PP2370 09/112,781 DOT01 PP2371 09/113,052 DOT02 PO8003  09/112,834, Fluid01 U.S. Pat. No. 6,350,023 PO8005  09/113,103, Fluid02 U.S. Pat. No. 6,318,849 PO9404 09/113,101 Fluid03 PO8066  6,227,652 IJ01 PO8072  6,213,588 IJ02 PO8040  6,213,589 IJ03 PO8071  6,231,163 IJ04 PO8047  09/113,097, IJ05 U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,795 PO8035  09/113,099, IJ06 U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,581 PO8044  09/113,084, IJ07 U.S. Pat. No. 6,244,691 PO8063  09/113,066, IJ08 U.S. Pat. No. 6,257,704 PO8057 09/112,778 IJ09 PO8056  6,220,694 IJ10 PO8069  09/113,077, IJ11 U.S. Pat. No. 6,257,705 PO8049  09/113,061, IJ12 U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,794 PO8036  6,234,610 IJ13 PO8048  09/112,816, IJ14 U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,793 PO8070  09/112,772, IJ15 U.S. Pat. No. 6,264,306 PO8067  09/112,819, IJ16 U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,342 PO8001  09/112,815, IJ17 U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,792 PO8038  09/113,096, IJ18 U.S. Pat. No. 6,264,307 PO8033  09/113,068, IJ19 U.S. Pat. No. 6,254,220 PO8002  6,234,611 IJ20 PO8068  09/112,808, IJ21 U.S. Pat. No. 6,302,528 PO8062  09/112,809, IJ22 U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,582 PO8034  09/112,780, IJ23 U.S. Pat. No. 6,239,821 PO8039  09/113,083, IJ24 U.S. Pat. No. 6,338,547 PO8041  09/113,121, IJ25 U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,796 PO8004 09/113,122 IJ26 PO8037  09/112,793, IJ27 U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,603 PO8043  09/112,794, IJ28 U.S. Pat. No. 6,362,843 PO8042  09/113,128, IJ29 U.S. Pat. No. 6,293,653 PO8064  09/113,127, IJ30 U.S. Pat. No. 6,312,107 PO9389  6,227,653 IJ31 PO9391  6,234,609 IJ32 PP0888  09/112,754, IJ33 U.S. Pat. No. 6,238,040 PP0891  6,188,415 IJ34 PP0890  6,227,654 IJ35 PP0873  6,209,989 IJ36 PP0993  09/112,814, IJ37 U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,791 PP0890  09/112,814, IJ38 U.S. Pat. No. 6,336,710 PP1398  6,217,153 IJ39 PP2592 09/112,767 IJ40 PP2593  09/112,768, IJ41 U.S. Pat. No. 6,243,113 PP3991  09/112,807, IJ42 U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,581 PP3987  09/112,806, IJ43 U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,790 PP3985  09/112,820, IJ44 U.S. Pat. No. 6,260,953 PP3983  09/112,821, IJ45 U.S. Pat. No. 6,267,469 PO7935  6,224,780 IJM01 PO7936  6,235,212 IJM02 PO7937  09/112,826, IJM03 U.S. Pat. No. 6,280,643 PO8061  09/112,827, IJM04 U.S. Pat. No. 6,284,147 PO8054  6,214,244 IJM05 PO8065  6,071,750 IJM06 PO8055  09/113,108, IJM07 U.S. Pat. No. 6,267,905 PO8053  09/113,109, IJM08 U.S. Pat. No. 6,251,298 PO8078  09/113,123, IJM09 U.S. Pat. No. 6,258,285 PO7933  6,225,138 IJM10 PO7950 09/113,115 IJM11 U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,904 PO7949  09/113,129, IJM12 U.S. Pat. No. 6,299,786 PO8060 09/113,124 IJM13 PO8059  6,231,773 IJM14 PO8073  6,190,931 IJM15 PO8076  09/113,119, IJM16 U.S. Pat. No. 6,248,249 PO8075  09/113,120, IJM17 U.S. Pat. No. 6,290,862 PO8079  09/113,221, IJM18 U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,906 PO8050 09/113,116 IJM19 PO8052  09/113,118, IJM20 U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,905 PO7948 09/113,117 IJM21 PO7951  6,231,772 IJM22 PO8074  09/113,130, IJM23 U.S. Pat. No. 6,274,056 PO7941  09/113,110, IJM24 U.S. Pat. No. 6,290,861 PO8077  09/113,112, IJM25 U.S. Pat. No. 6,248,248 PO8058  09/113,087, IJM26 U.S. Pat. No. 6,306,671 PO8051  09/113,074, IJM27 U.S. Pat. No. 6,331,258 PO8045  6,110,754 IJM28 PO7952  09/113,088, IJM29 U.S. Pat. No. 6,294,101 PO8046 09/112,771 IJM30 PO9390  09/112,769, IJM31 U.S. Pat. No. 6,264,849 PO9392  09/112,770, IJM32 U.S. Pat. No. 6,254,793 PP0889  6,235,211 IJM35 PP0887 09/112,801 IJM36 PP0882  09/112,800, IJM37 U.S. Pat. No. 6,264,850 PP0874  09/112,799, IJM38 U.S. Pat. No. 6,258,284 PP1396  09/113,098, IJM39 U.S. Pat. No. 6,312,615 PP3989  09/112,833, IJM40 U.S. Pat. No. 6,228,668 PP2591  6,180,427 IJM41 PP3990  6,171,875 IJM42 PP3986  09/112,830, IJM43 U.S. Pat. No. 6,267,904 PP3984  09/112,836, IJM44 U.S. Pat. No. 6,245,247 PP3982  09/112,835, IJM45 U.S. Pat. No. 6,315,914 PP0895  6,231,148 IR01 PP0870 09/113,106 IR02 PP0869  09/113,105, IR04 U.S. Pat. No. 6,293,658 PP0887 09/113,104 IR05 PP0885  09/112,810 IR06 U.S. Pat. No. 6,238,033 PP0884  09/112,766, IR10 U.S. Pat. No. 6,312,070 PP0886  09/113,085, IR12 U.S. Pat. No. 6,238,111 PP0871 09/113,086 IR13 PP0876 09/113,094 IR14 PP0877  09/112,760, IR16 U.S. Pat. No. 6,378,970 PP0878  6,196,739 IR17 PP0879 09/112,774 IR18 PP0883  09/112,775, IR19 U.S. Pat. No. 6,270,182 PP0880  6,152,619 IR20 PP0881 09/113,092 IR21 PO8006  6,087,638 MEMS02 PO8007  09/113,093, MEMS03 U.S. Pat. No. 6,340,222 PO8008 09/113,062 MEMS04 PO8010  6,041,600 MEMS05 PO8011  09/113,082, MEMS06 U.S. Pat. No. 6,299,300 PO7947  6,067,797 MEMS07 PO7944  09/113,080, MEMS09 U.S. Pat. No. 6,286,935 PO7946  6,044,646 MEMS10 PO9393 09/113,065 MEMS11 PP0875 09/113,078 MEMS12 PP0894  09/113,075, MEMS13 U.S. Pat. No. 6,382,769

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the manufacture of ink jet printhead and, in particular, discloses a method of manufacturing of a thermally actuated Ink Jet Printer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many ink jet printing mechanisms are known. Unfortunately, in mass production techniques, the production of ink jet printheads is quite difficult. For example, often, the orifice or nozzle plate is constructed separately from the ink supply and ink ejection mechanism and bonded to the mechanism at a later stage (Hewlett-Packard Journal, Vol. 36 no 5, pp33-37 (1985)). These separate material processing steps required in handling such precision devices often add a substantial expense in manufacturing.

Additionally, side shooting ink jet technologies (U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,181) are often used but again, this limits the amount of mass production throughput given any particular capital investment.

Additionally, more esoteric techniques are also often utilised. These can include electroforming of nickel stage (Hewlett-Packard Journal, Vol. 36 no 5, pp33-37 (1985)), electro-discharge machining, laser ablation (U.S. Pat. No. 5,208,604), micro-punching, etc.

The utilisation of the above techniques is likely to add substantial expense to the mass production of ink jet printheads and therefore adds substantially to their final cost.

It would therefore be desirable if an efficient system for the mass production of ink jet printhead could be developed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an alternative form of ink jet printing device suitable for use at high speeds and having a number of advantages over the prior art.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a thermally actuated ink jet printhead wherein an array of nozzles are formed on a substrate utilising planar monolithic deposition, lithographic and etching processes. Preferably, multiple ink jet printheads are formed simultaneously on a single planar substrate such as a silicon wafer.

The printheads can be formed utilising standard vlsi/ulsi processing and can include integrated drive electronics formed on the same substrate. The drive electronics preferably being of a CMOS type. In the final construction, ink can be ejected from the substrate substantially normal to the substrate.

In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing an ink jet printhead, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a semiconductor wafer having an electrical circuitry layer and a buried epitaxial layer formed thereon; (b) etching ink chamber cavities in the wafer, the etching stopping substantially at the epitaxial layer; (c) depositing and etching a first sacrificial material layer including vias for electrical interconnection of the electrical circuitry layer with subsequent layers; (d) depositing a first expansion layer of material having a high coefficient of thermal expansion over the ink chamber cavities; (e) depositing and etching a conductive material layer on the first expansion layer so as to form a heater element conductively interconnected to the electrical circuitry layer; (f) depositing and etching a second expansion layer of material having a high coefficient of thermal expansion over the conductive material layer, the etching including etching a shutter over each nozzle cavity; (g) back etching the wafer to the epitaxial layer; (h) etching a plurality of nozzle apertures, one for each ink chamber cavity, in the epitaxial layer; and (o) etching away the sacrificial layers.

The epitaxial layer can be utilized as an etch stop in step (b) which can comprise a plasma etch of the wafer.

The steps are preferably also utilized to simultaneously separate the wafer into separate printheads.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Notwithstanding any other forms which may fall within the scope of the present invention, preferred forms of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an ink jet printhead constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one single nozzle apparatus of the ink jet printhead constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a timing diagram illustrating the various phases of operation of the nozzle apparatus of the ink jet printhead;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram illustrating the nozzle apparatus in an idle phase;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram illustrating the nozzle apparatus in an ejection phase;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram illustrating the nozzle apparatus in a separation phase;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram illustrating the nozzle apparatus in a refilling phase;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram illustrating the nozzle apparatus after returning to an idle phase;

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the construction of a single ink nozzle apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 provides a legend of the materials indicated in FIGS. 11 to 22; and

FIG. 11 to FIG. 22 illustrate sectional views of the manufacturing steps in one form of construction of the nozzle apparatus of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED AND OTHER EMBODIMENTS

Turning initially to FIG. 1, there is provided an ink reservoir 2 which is supplied by an ink supply conduit 3. An ultrasonic actuator 4 is driven in a substantially sine wave form so as to set up pressure waves 6 within the reservoir 2. The ultrasonic actuator 4 typically comprises a piezo electric transducer positioned within the reservoir 2. The transducer 4 oscillates the ink pressure within the reservoir 2 at approximately 100 KHz. The pressure is sufficient to eject the ink drops from each nozzle apparatus or nozzles 20 to 24 when required. Each nozzle 20 to 24 is provided with a shutter 10 which is opened and closed on demand.

In FIG. 2, there is illustrated a single nozzle 12 of FIG. 1.

Each nozzle 12 defines a nozzle hole 13 for the output of ink. An ink chamber 14 in fluid communication with the reservoir 2 is provided. The nozzle chamber 14 is normally filled with ink. Further, each nozzle 12 is provided with a shutter 10, which is designed to open and close the nozzle chamber 14 on demand. The shutter 10 is displaceable between a closed position in which the shutter is positioned intermediate the reservoir 2 and the chamber 14 and an open position in which unobstructed fluid communication between the reservoir 2 and the chamber 14 can occur. The shutter 10 is actuated by a coiled thermal actuator 15.

The coiled actuator 15 is constructed from laminated conductors of either differing resistivities, different cross-sectional areas, different indices of thermal expansion, different thermal conductivities to the ink, different lengths, or some combination thereof. The coiling radius of the actuator 15 changes when a current is passed through the conductors, as one side of the coiled beam expands to a different extent relative to the other. One method, as illustrated in FIG. 2, can be to utilise two current paths 35, 36, which are made of electrically conductive material. The current paths 35, 36 are connected at a shutter end 17 of the thermal actuator 15. One current path 36 is etched in a serpentine manner to increase an electrical resistance of the path 36. When a current is passed through paths 35, 36, the side of the coiled actuator 15 that comprises the serpentine path 36 expands more than the side that incorporates the path 35, as a result of the higher heat generated from the higher resistivity. This results in the actuator 15 uncoiling to a certain extent.

The thermal actuator 15 controls the position of the shutter 10 so that it can cover none, all or part of the nozzle chamber 14. If the shutter 10 does not cover any of the nozzle chamber 14, then the oscillating ink pressure is transmitted to the nozzle chamber 14 and the ink is ejected out of the nozzle hole 13. When the shutter 10 covers the ink chamber 14, then the oscillating ink pressure within the chamber 14 is significantly attenuated at the nozzle hole 13.

The shutter 10 can also be driven into a position intermediate the closed and open position, resulting in a partial attenuation of the ink pressure variation. This can be used to vary the volume of the ejected drop. This can also be used to implement a degree of continuation tone operation of the nozzle 12 or, to regulate the drop volume, or both. The shutter 10 is normally shut, and is opened on demand.

The operation of the ink jet nozzle 12 is now explained in further detail.

Referring to FIG. 3, the piezo electric transducer 4 is driven in a sinusoidal manner which in turn causes a sinusoidal variation 70 in the pressure within the ink reservoir 2 (FIG. 1) with respect to time.

The operation of the nozzle 12 occurs in four phases, being an ink ejection phase 71, an ink separation phase 72 an ink refill phase 73 and an idle ink nozzle phase 74.

Referring now to FIG. 4, before the ink ejection phase 71 of FIG. 3, the shutter 10 is located over the ink chamber 14 and the ink forms a meniscus 81 over the nozzle hole 13.

At the start of the ejection phase 71 the actuator coil is activated and the shutter 10 moves away from its position over the chamber 14 as illustrated in FIG. 5. As the chamber 14 is subjected to positive pressure, the meniscus 81 grows and the volume of ink 91 outside the nozzle hole 13 increases due to an ink flow 82. Subsequently, the separation phase 72 of FIG. 3 is entered. In this phase, the pressure within the chamber 14 is reduced to below ambient pressure. This causes a back flow 83 (FIG. 6) within the chamber 14 and results in the separation of a body of ink 84 from the nozzle hole 13. The below ambient pressure results in an ink flow 83 that drives the meniscus 85 into the ink chamber 14.

Subsequently, the ink chamber 14 enters the refill phase 73 of FIG. 3 wherein positive pressure is again experienced. This results in a condition 110 as illustrated in FIG. 7 in which a meniscus position 111 is returned to that shown as 81 in FIG. 4. Subsequently, as illustrated in FIG. 8, the transducer 4 is deactivated and the shutter 10 returns to its original position ready for reactivation (idle phase 74 of FIG. 3).

The cycle operation as illustrated in FIG. 3 has a number of advantages. In particular, the level and duration of each sinusoidal cycle can be closely controlled by controlling the signal to the piezo electric transducer 4 (FIG. 1). Of course, a number of further variations are possible. For example, as each drop ejection takes two ink pressure cycles, half the nozzles, e.g., nozzles 20, 22 and 24 in FIG. 1 could be ejecting ink in one phase and the other half of the nozzles e.g., 21, 23 could be ejecting ink during a second phase. This allows for minimisation of the pressure variations which occur due to large numbers of nozzles being actuated simultaneously.

Further, the amplitude of the driving signal to the transducer 4 can be altered in response to the viscosity of the ink which will be typically effected by such factors as temperature and the number of drops which are to be ejected in the current cycle.

Construction and Fabrication

Each nozzle 12 further includes drive circuitry which activates the actuator 15 when the shutter is to move into the open position. The nozzle chamber 14 is dimensioned and a radius of the nozzle hole 13 is selected to control the drop velocity and drop size. Further, the ink chamber 14 of FIG. 2 is sufficiently wide so that viscous drag from the chamber walls does not significantly increase a force required by the actuator 4.

Preferably, the shutter 10 is in a disc form which covers the ink chamber 14. The shutter 10 preferably has a honeycomb like structure to maximise strength while minimising its mass and subsequent inertia.

Preferably, all surfaces are coated with a passivation layer to reduce the possibilities of corrosion from the ink flow. A suitable passivation layer can include silicon nitride (Si₃N₄), diamond like carbon (DLC), or other chemically inert, highly impermeable layer. The passivation layer is obviously especially important for device life, as the device will be immersed in ink.

Fabrication Sequence

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the construction of a single ink jet nozzle in accordance with the preferred embodiment.

1) Start with a single crystal silicon wafer 120, and a buried epitaxial layer 121 of silicon which is heavily doped with boron. The boron is doped to preferably 10²⁰ atoms per cm³ of boron or more, and the layer 121 is approximately 2 μm thick. The silicon wafer 120 forms an epitaxial layer on top of the boron doped layer and is lightly doped with boron. The layer 120 is approximately 8 μm thick, and is doped in a manner suitable for the selected active semiconductor device technology. This is hereinafter called the “Sopij” wafer.

2) Fabricate the drive transistors and data distribution circuitry according to the process chosen in the CMOS layers 122, up until oxide over second level metal.

3) Planarise the wafer using Chemical Mechanical Planarisation (CMP).

4) Plasma etch the ink chambers 14, stopping at the boron doped epitaxial silicon layer 121 (FIG. 12). This etch is through about 8 μm of silicon. The etch is highly anisotropic, with near vertical sidewalls. The etch stop detection can be the detection of boron in the exhaust gases. This step also etches the edge of the print head chips down to the boron layer 121, for later separation.

5) Conformably deposit a 0.2 μm layer 123 of high density Si₃N₄. This forms a corrosion barrier, so is substantially free of pinholes, and is substantially impermeable to OH ions.

6) Deposit a thick sacrificial layer 131 on the layer 123 (FIG. 14). This layer 131 entirely fills the preformed ink chambers 14, and coats the entire wafer to an added thickness of 2 μm. The sacrificial layer may be SiO₂, for example, BPSG or spin on glass (SOG).

7) Mask and etch the sacrificial layer 131 using a coil post mask.

8) Deposit 0.2 mm of silicon nitride (Si₃N₄) on the layer 131 (FIG. 15)

9) Mask and etch the Si₃N₄ layer using a coil electric contacts mask, and a first layer 124 of PTFE using a coil mask.

10) Deposit 4 μm of nichrome alloy (NiCr).

11) Deposit a copper conductive layer 125 and etch using a conductive layer mask FIG. 17).

12) Deposit a second layer of PTFE using a coil mask.

13) Deposit 0.2 μm layer of silicon nitride (Si₃N₄) (not shown).

14) Mask and etch the Si₃N₄, layer using a spring passivation and bond pad mask.

15) Permanently bond the Sopij wafer fabricated in steps 1 to 14 above onto a pre-fabricated ink channel wafer. The active side of the Sopij wafer faces the ink channel wafer.

16) Etch the Sopij wafer to entirely remove the backside silicon to the level of the boron doped epitaxial layer 121. This etch can be a batch wet etch in ethylene-diamine pyrocatechol (EPD).

17) Mask the nozzle holes 13 from the underside of the Sopij wafer (FIG. 20). This mask also includes the chip edges.

18) Etch through the boron doped silicon layer 121. This etch is preferably deep into the sacrificial material 131 in the ink chambers 14 to reduce time required to remove the sacrificial material 131.

19) Completely etch the sacrificial material 131. If this material is SiO₂, then a HF etch can be used. Access of the HF to the sacrificial layer material 131 is through the nozzle 13, and simultaneously through the ink channel chip (FIG. 21).

20) Separate the chips from the backing plate. The two wafers have already been etched through, so the print heads do not need to be diced.

21) TAB bond the good chips.

22) Perform final testing on the TAB bonded print heads.

One alternative form of detailed manufacturing process which can be used to fabricate monolithic ink jet print heads carried out in accordance with the principles taught by the present embodiment can proceed utilizing the following steps:

1. Deposit 3 microns of epitaxial silicon 121 heavily doped with boron on a double sided polished wafer.

2. Deposit 10 microns of epitaxial silicon 120, either p-type or n-type, depending upon the CMOS process used.

3. Complete drive transistors, data distribution, and timing circuits using a 0.5 micron, one poly, 2 metal CMOS process. The wafer is passivated with 0.1 microns of silicon nitride 123. This step is shown in FIG. 11. For clarity, these diagrams may not be to scale, and may not represent a cross section though any single plane of the nozzle. FIG. 10 is a key to representations of various materials in these manufacturing diagrams, and those of other cross referenced ink jet configurations.

4. Etch the CMOS oxide layers down to silicon using Mask 1. This mask defines the ink chamber 14 below the shutter 10, and the edges of the print heads chips.

5. Plasma etch the silicon down to the boron doped buried layer 121, using oxide from step 4 as a mask. This step is shown in FIG. 12.

6. Deposit 6 microns of sacrificial material (e.g. aluminum or photosensitive polyimide) to form a sacrificial layer 131.

7. Planarize the sacrificial layer 131 to a thickness of 1 micron over the nitride 123. This step is shown in FIG. 13.

8. Etch the sacrificial layer 131 using Mask 2. This mask defines the actuator anchor point 132. This step is shown in FIG. 14.

9. Deposit 1 micron of PTFE.

10. Etch the PTFE, nitride, and oxide down to second level metal using Mask 3. This mask defines the heater vias. This step is shown in FIG. 15.

11. Deposit 1 micron of a conductor with a low Young's modulus, for example aluminum or gold.

12. Pattern the conductor using Mask 4. This step is shown in FIG. 16.

13. Deposit 1 micron of PTFE.

14. Etch the PTFE down to the sacrificial layer using Mask 5. This mask defines the actuator 15 and shutter 10. This step is shown in FIG. 17.

15. Wafer probe. All electrical connections are complete at this point, bond pads are accessible, and the chips are not yet separated.

16. Mount the wafer on a glass blank 133 and back-etch the wafer using KOH with no mask. This etch thins the wafer and stops at the buried boron doped silicon layer 121. This step is shown in FIG. 18.

17. Plasma back-etch the boron doped silicon layer 121 to a depth of (approx.) 1 micron using Mask 6. This mask defines the nozzle rim 134. This step is shown in FIG. 19.

18. Plasma back-etch through the boron doped layer using Mask 7. This mask defines the nozzle opening 13, and the edge of the chips. At this stage, the chips are separate, but are still mounted on the glass blank 133. This step is shown in FIG. 20.

19. Detach the chips from the glass blank 133 and etch the sacrificial material. The ink chambers 14 are cleared, the actuators freed, and the chips are separated by this etch. This step is shown in FIG. 21.

20. Mount the printheads in their packaging, which may be a molded plastic former incorporating ink channels which supply different colors of ink to the appropriate regions of the front surface of the wafer.

21. Connect the printheads to their interconnect systems.

22. Hydrophobize the front surface of the printheads.

23. Fill the completed printheads with ink and test them. A filled nozzle is shown in FIG. 22.

It would be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the present invention as shown in the specific embodiment without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive.

The presently disclosed ink jet printing technology is potentially suited to a wide range of printing systems including: color and monochrome office printers, short run digital printers, high speed digital printers, offset press supplemental printers, low cost scanning printers, high speed pagewidth printers, notebook computers with in-built pagewidth printers, portable color and monochrome printers, color and monochrome copiers, color and monochrome facsimile machines, combined printer, facsimile and copying machines, label printers, large format plotters, photograph copiers, printers for digital photographic ‘minilabs’, video printers, PHOTO CD (PHOTO CD is a registered trade mark of Eastman Kodak Company) printers, portable printers for PDAs, wallpaper printers, indoor sign printers, billboard printers, fabric printers, camera printers and fault tolerant commercial printer arrays.

Ink Jet Technologies

The embodiments of the invention use an ink jet printer type device. Of course many different devices could be used. However presently popular ink jet printing technologies are unlikely to be suitable.

The most significant problem with thermal ink jet is power consumption. This is approximately 100 times that required for high speed, and stems from the energy-inefficient means of drop ejection. This involves the rapid boiling of water to produce a vapor bubble which expels the ink. Water has a very high heat capacity, and must be superheated in thermal ink jet applications. This leads to an efficiency of around 0.02%, from electricity input to drop momentum (and increased surface area) out.

The most significant problem with piezoelectric ink jet is size and cost. Piezoelectric crystals have a very small deflection at reasonable drive voltages, and therefore require a large area for each nozzle. Also, each piezoelectric actuator must be connected to its drive circuit on a separate substrate. This is not a significant problem at the current limit of around 300 nozzles per print head, but is a major impediment to the fabrication of pagewidth printheads with 19,200 nozzles.

Ideally, the ink jet technologies used meet the stringent requirements of in-camera digital color printing and other high quality, high speed, low cost printing applications. To meet the requirements of digital photography, new ink jet technologies have been created. The target features include:

low power (less than 10 Watts)

high resolution capability (1,600 dpi or more)

photographic quality output

low manufacturing cost

small size (pagewidth times minimum cross section)

high speed (<2 seconds per page).

All of these features can be met or exceeded by the ink jet systems described below with differing levels of difficulty. Forty-five different ink jet technologies have been developed by the Assignee to give a wide range of choices for high volume manufacture. These technologies form part of separate applications assigned to the present Assignee as set out in the list under the heading Cross References to Related Applications.

The ink jet designs shown here are suitable for a wide range of digital printing systems, from battery powered one-time use digital cameras, through to desktop and network printers, and through to commercial printing systems

For ease of manufacture using standard process equipment, the printhead is designed to be a monolithic 0.5 micron CMOS chip with MEMS post processing. For color photographic applications, the printhead is 100 mm long, with a width which depends upon the ink jet type. The smallest printhead designed is covered in IJ38, which is 0.35 mm wide, giving a chip area of 35 square mm. The printheads each contain 19,200 nozzles plus data and control circuitry.

Ink is supplied to the back of the printhead by injection molded plastic ink channels. The molding requires 50 micron features, which can be created using a lithographically micromachined insert in a standard injection molding tool. Ink flows through holes etched through the wafer to the nozzle chambers fabricated on the front surface of the wafer. The printhead is connected to the camera circuitry by tape automated bonding.

Tables of Drop-on-Demand Ink Jets

Eleven important characteristics of the fundamental operation of individual ink jet nozzles have been identified. These characteristics are largely orthogonal, and so can be elucidated as an eleven dimensional matrix. Most of the eleven axes of this matrix include entries developed by the present assignee.

The following tables form the axes of an eleven dimensional table of ink jet types.

Actuator mechanism (18 types)

Basic operation mode (7 types)

Auxiliary mechanism (8 types)

Actuator amplification or modification method (17 types)

Actuator motion (19 types)

Nozzle refill method (4 types)

Method of restricting back-flow through inlet (10 types)

Nozzle clearing method (9 types)

Nozzle plate construction (9 types)

Drop ejection direction (5 types)

Ink type (7 types)

The complete eleven dimensional table represented by these axes contains 36.9 billion possible configurations of ink jet nozzle. While not all of the possible combinations result in a viable ink jet technology, many million configurations are viable. It is clearly impractical to elucidate all of the possible configurations. Instead, certain ink jet types have been investigated in detail. These are designated IH01 to IJ45, which match the docket numbers in the table under the heading Cross References to Related Applications.

Other ink jet configurations can readily be derived from these forty-five examples by substituting alternative configurations along one or more of the 11 axes. Most of the forty-five examples can be made into ink jet print heads with characteristics superior to any currently available ink jet technology.

Where there are prior art examples known to the inventor, one or more of these examples are listed in the examples column of the tables below. The IJ01 to IJ45 series are also listed in the examples column. In some cases, a print technology may be listed more than once in a table, where it shares characteristics with more than one entry.

Suitable applications for the ink jet technologies include: Home printers, Office network printers, Short run digital printers, Commercial print systems, Fabric printers, Pocket printers, Internet WWW printers, Video printers, Medical imaging, Wide format printers, Notebook PC printers, Fax machines, Industrial printing systems, Photocopiers, Photographic minilabs etc.

The information associated with the aforementioned 11 dimensional matrix are set out in the following tables.

ACTUATOR MECHANISM (APPLIED ONLY TO SELECTED INK DROPS) Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples Thermal bubble An electrothermal Large force generated High power Canon Bubblejet 1979 Endo et al heater heats the ink to Simple construction Ink carrier limited to water GB patent 2,007,162 above boiling point, No moving parts Low efficiency Xerox heater-in-pit transferring significant Fast operation High temperatures required 1990 Hawkins et al heat to the aqueous Small chip area High mechanical stress U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,181 ink. A bubble nucleates required for actuator Unusual materials required Hewlett-Packard TIJ 1982 Vaught et al and quickly forms, Large drive transistors U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,728 expelling the ink. Cavitation causes actuator failure The efficiency of the Kogation reduces bubble formation process is low, with Large print heads are difficult typically less than to fabricate 0.05% of the electrical energy being transformed into kinetic energy of the drop. Piezo-electric A piezoelectric crystal Low power consump- Very large area required for Kyser et al such as lead lanthanum tion actuator U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,398 zirconate (PZT) is Many ink types can Difficult to integrate with Zoltan electrically activated, be used electronics U.S. Pat. No. 3,683,212 and either expands, Fast operation High voltage drive transistors 1973 Stemme shears, or bends to High efficiency required U.S. Pat. No. 3,747,120 apply pressure to the Full pagewidth print heads Epson Stylus ink, ejecting drops. impractical due to actuator size Tektronix Requires electrical poling in 09/112,803 high field strengths during manufacture Electro-strictive An electric field is used Low power consumption Low maximum strain Seiko Epson, Usui et all JP 253401/96 to activate Many ink types can (approx. 0.01%) 09/112,803 electrostriction in be used Large area required for actuator relaxor materials such as Low thermal due to low strain lead lanthanum zirconate expansion Response speed is marginal titanate (PLZT) or lead Electric field strength (˜10 μs) magnesium niobate (PMN). required High voltage drive transistors (approx. 3.5 V/μm) required can be generated Full pagewidth print heads without difficulty impractical due to actuator size Does not require electrical poling Ferro-electric An electric field is used Low power consumption Difficult to integrate with 09/112,803 to induce a phase Many ink types can electronics transition between the be used Unusual materials such as antiferroelectric (AFE) Fast operation (<1 μs) PLZSnT are required and ferroelectric (FE) Relatively high Actuators require a large area phase. Perovskite longitudinal strain materials such as tin High efficiency modified lead lanthanum Electric field strength zirconate titanate of around 3 V/μm can (PLZSnT) exhibit large be readily provided strains of up to 1% associated with the AFE to FE phase transition. Electro-static plates Conductive plates are Low power consumption Difficult to operate electrostatic 09/112,787, separated by a Many ink types can devices in an aqueous environment 09/112,803 compressible or fluid be used The electrostatic actuator will dielectric (usualiy air). Fast operation normally need to be separated from Upon application of a the ink voltage, the plates Very large area required to achieve attract each other and high forces displace ink, causing High voltage drive transistors drop ejection. The may be required conductive plates may Full pagewidth print heads are not be in a comb or competitive due to actuator size honeycomb structure, or stacked to increase the surface area and therefore the force. Electro-static pull A strong electric field Low current High voltage required 1989 Saito et al, on ink is applied to the ink, consumption May be damaged by sparks due U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,068 whereupon electrostatic Low temperature to air breakdown 1989 Miura et al, attraction accelerates the Required field strength increases U.S. Pat. No. 4,810,954 ink towards the print as the drop size decreases Tone-jet medium. High voltage drive transistors required Electrostatic field attracts dust Permanent magnet An electromagnet Low power consumption Complex fabrication 09/113,084, electro-magnetic directly attracts a Many ink types can Permanent magnetic material such 09/112,779 permanent magnet, be used such as Neodymium Iron Boron displacing ink and Fast operation (NdFeB) required. causing drop ejection. High efficiency High local currents required Rare earth magnets Easy extension Copper metalization should be with a field strength from single nozzles used for long electromigration around 1 Tesla can be to pagewidth print lifetime and low resistivity used. Examples are: heads Pigmented inks are usually Samarium Cobalt (SaCo) infeasible and magnetic materials in Operating temperature limited to the neodymium iron the Curie temperature boron family (NdFeB, (around 540K) NdDyFeBNb, NdDyFeB, etc). Soft magnetic core A solenoid induced a Low power consumption Complex fabrication 09/112,751, electro-magnetic magnetic field in a soft Many ink types can Materials not usually present in a 09/113,097, magnetic core or yoke be used CMOS fab such as NiFe, CoNiFe, 09/113,066, fabricated from a Fast operation or CoFe are required 09/112,779, ferrous material such High efficiency High local currents required 09/113,061, as electroplated iron Easy extension Copper metalization should be 09/112,816, alloys such as CoNiFe from single nozzles be used for long electromigration 09/112,772, [1], CoFe, or NiFe to pagewidth print lifetime and low resistivity 09/112,815 alloys. Typically, the heads Electroplating is required soft magnetic material High saturation flux density is is in two parts, which required (2.0-2.1 T is achievable are normally held with CoNiFe [1]) apart by a spring. When the solenoid is actuated, the two parts attract, displacing the ink. Lorenz force The Lorenz force acting Low power consumption Force acts as a twisting motion 09/113,099, on a current carrying Many ink types can Typically, only a quarter of the 09/113,077, wire in a magnetic be used solenoid length provides force in a 09/112,818, field is utilized. Fast operation useful direction 09/112,819 This allows the High efficiency High local currents required magnetic field to be Easy extension Copper metalization should be supplied externally to from single nozzles used for long electromigration the print head, for to pagewidth print lifetime and low resistivity example with rare heads Pigmented inks are usually earth permanent infeasible magnets. Only the current carrying wire need be fabricated on the print- head, simplifying materials requirements. Magneto-striction The actuator uses the Many ink types can Force acts as a twisting motion Fischenbeck, giant magnetostrictive be used Unusual materials such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,032,929 effect of materials Fast operation Terfenol-D are required 09/113,121 such as Terfenol-D (an Easy extension High local currents required alloy of terbium, from single nozzles Copper metalization should be dysprosium and iron to pagewidth print used for long electromigration developed at the Naval heads lifetime and low resistivity Ordnance Laboratory, High force is available Pre-stressing may be required hence Ter-Fe-NOL). For best efficiency, the actuator should be pre- stressed to approx 8 MPa. Surface tension Ink under positive Low power consumption Requires supplementary force Silverbrook, EP 0771 658 A2 and reduction pressure is held in a Simple construction to effect drop separation related patent applications nozzle by surface No unusual materials Requires special ink surfactants tension. The surface required in fabrication Speed may be limited by surfactant tension of the ink is High efficiency properties reduced below the Easy extension from bubble threshold, single nozzles to causing the ink to pagewidth print heads egress from the nozzle. Viscosity reduction The ink viscosity is Simple construction Requires supplementary force Silverbrook, EP 0771 658 A2 and locally reduced to No unusual materials to effect drop separation related patent applications select which drops are required in fabrication Requires special ink viscosity to be ejected. A Easy extension from properties viscosity reduction can single nozzles to High speed is difficult to achieve be achieved pagewidth print heads Requires oscillating ink pressure electrothermally with A high temperature difference most inks, but special (typically 80 degrees) is required inks can be engineered for a 100:1 viscosity reduction. Acoustic An acoustic wave is Can operate without Complex drive circuitry 1993 Hadimioglu et al, EUP 550,192 generated and a nozzle plate Complex fabrication 1993 Elrod et al, EUP 572,220 focussed upon the Low efficiency drop ejection region. Poor control of drop position Poor control of drop volume Thermo-elastic bend An actuator which Low power consumption Efficient aqueous operation 09/112,802, actuator relies upon differential Many ink types can requires a thermal insulator on the 09/112,778, thermal expansion be used the hot side 09/112,815, upon Joule heating is Simple planar Corrosion prevention can be 09/113,096, used. fabrication difficult 09/113,068, Small chip area Pigmented inks may be infeasible, 09/113,095, required for each as pigment particles may jam the 09/112,808, actuator bend actuator 09/112,809, Fast operation 09/112,780, High efficiency CMOS 09/113,083, compatible voltages 09/112,793, and currents 09/112,794, Standard MEMS 09/113,128, processes can be 09/113,127, used 09/112,756, Easy extension 09/112,755, from single nozzles 09/112,754, to pagewidth print 09/112,811, heads 09/112,812, 09/112,813, 09/112,814, 09/112,764, 09/112,765, 09/112,767, 09/112,768 High CTE thermo- A material with a very High force can be Requires special material 09/112,778, elastic actuator high coefficient of generated (e.g. PTFE) 09/112,815, thermal expansion Three methods of Requires a PFFE deposition 09/113,096, (CTE) such as PTFE deposition are process, which is not yet 09/113,095, polytetrafluoroethylene under development: standard in ULSI fabs 09/112,808, (PTFE) is used. As chemical vapor PTFE deposition cannot be 09/112,809, high CTE materials deposition (CVD), followed with high temperature 09/112,780, are usually non- spin coating, and (above 350° C.) processing 09/113,083, conductive, a heater evaporation Pigmented inks may be infeasible, 09/112,793, fabricated from a PTFE is a as pigment particles may jam 09/112,794, conductive material is candidate for low the bend actuator 09/113,128, incorporated. A 50 μm dielectric constant 09/113,127, long PTFE bend insulation in ULSI 09/112,756, actuator with Very low power 09/112,807, polysilicon heater and consumption 09/112,806, 15 mW power input Many ink types 09/112,820 can provide 180 μN can be used force and 10 μm Simple planar deflection. Actuator fabrication motions include: Small chip area Bend required for each Push actuator Buckle Fast operation Rotate High efficiency CMOS compatible voltages and currents Easy extension from single nozzles to pagewidth print heads Conductive polymer A polymer with a high High force can be Requires special materials 09/113,083 thermo-elastic actuator coefficient of thermal generated development (High CTE expansion (such as Very low power conductive polymer) PTFE) is doped with consumption Requires a PTFE deposition conducting substances Many ink types can process, which is not yet to increase its be used standard in ULSI fabs conductivity to about 3 Simple planar PTFE deposition cannot be orders of magnitude fabrication followed with high temperature below that of copper. Small chip area (above 350° C.) processing The conducting polymer required for each Evaporation and CVD deposition expands when resistively actuator techniques cannot be used heated. Fast operation Pigmented inks may be infeasible, Examples of conducting High efficiency as pigment particles may jam dopants include: CMOS compatible the bend actuator Carbon nanotubes voltages and Metal fibers currents Conductive polymers Easy extension such as doped from single nozzles polythiophene to pagewidth print Carbon granules heads Shape memory alloy A shape memory alloy High force is Fatigue limits maximum number 09/113,122 such as TiNi (also available (stresses of cycles known as Nitinol - of hundreds of MPa) Low strain (1%) is required to Nickel Titanium alloy Large strain is extend fatigue resistance developed at the Naval available (more than Cycle rate limited by heat removal Ordnance Laboratory) 3%) Requires unusual materials (TiNi) is thermally switched High corrosion The latent heat of transformation between its weak resistance must be provided martensitic state and Simple construction High current operation its high stiffness Easy extension Requires pre-stressing to distort austenic state. The from single nozzles the martensitic state shape of the actuator to pagewidth print in its martensitic state heads is deformed relative to Low voltage operation the austenic shape The shape change causes ejection of a drop. Linear Magnetic Linear magnetic Linear Magnetic Requires unusual semiconductor 09/113,061 Actuator actuators include the actuators can be materials such as soft magnetic Linear Induction constructed with alloys (e.g. CoNiFe) Acuator (LIA), Linear high thrust, long Some varieties also require Permanent Magnet travel, and high permanent magnetic materials such as Synchronous Actuator efficiency using as Neodymium iron boron (NdFeB) (LPMSA), Linear planar semiconductor Requires complex multi-phase drive Reluctance fabrication techniques circuitry Synchronous Actuator Long actuator travel High current operation (LRSA), Linear is available Switched Reluctance Medium force is Actuator (LSRA), and available the Linear Stepper Low voltage operation Actuator (LSA).

BASIC OPERATION MODE Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples Actuator directly This is the simplest Simple operation Drop repetition rate is usually Thermal inkjet pushes ink mode of operation: the No external fields limited to around 10 kHz. Piezoelectric ink jet actuator directly required However, this is not fundamental 09/112,751, supplies sufficient Satellite drops can to the method, but is related to 09/112,787, kinetic energy to expel be avoided if drop the refill method normally used 09/112,802, the drop. The drop velocity is less All of the drop kinetic energy must 09/112,803, must have a sufficient than 4 m/s be provided by the actuator 09/113,097, velocity to overcome Can be efficient, Satellite drops usually form if drop 09/113,099, the surface tension. depending upon the velocity is greater than 4.5 m/s 09/113,084, actuator used 09/112,778, 09/113,077, 09/113,061, 09/112,816, 09/112,819, 09/113,095, 09/112,809, 09/112,780, 09/113,083, 09/113,121, 09/113,122, 09/112,793, 09/112,794, 09/113,128, 09/113,127, 09/112,756, 09/112,755, 09/112,754, 09/112,811, 09/112,812, 09/112,813, 09/112,814, 09/112,764, 09/112,765, 09/112,767, 09/112,768, 09/112,807, 09/112,806, 09/112,820 Proximity The drops to be Very simple print Requires close proximity between Silverbrook, EP 0771 658 A2 and printed are selected by head fabrication can the print head and the print media related patent applications some manner (e.g. be used or transfer roller thermally induced The drop selection May require two print heads surface tension means does not need printing alternate rows of the reduction of to provide the energy image pressurized ink). required to separate Monolithic color print heads are Selected drops are the drop from the difficult separated from the ink nozzle in the nozzle by contact with the print medium or a transfer roller. Electro-static pull The drops to be Very simple print Requires very high electrostatic Silverbrook, EP 0771 658 A2 and on ink printed are selected by head fabrication can field related patent applications some manner (e.g. be used Electrostatic field for small nozzle Tone-Jet thermally induced The drop selection sizes is above air breakdown surface tension means does not need Electrostatic field may attract dust reduction of to provide the energy pressurized ink). required to separate Selected drops are the drop from the separated from the ink nozzle in the nozzle by a strong electric field. Magnetic pull on ink The drops to be Very simple print Requires magnetic ink Silverbrook, EP 0771 658 A2 and printed are selected by head fabrication can Ink colors other than black are related patent applications some manner (e.g. be used difficult thermally induced The drop selection Requires very high magnetic fields surface tension means does not need reduction of to provide the energy pressurized ink). required to separate Selected drops are the drop from the separated from the ink nozzle in the nozzle by a strong magnetic field acting on the magnetic ink. Shutter The actuator moves a High speed (>50 kHz) Moving parts are required 09/112,818, shutter to block ink operation can Requires ink pressure modulator 09/112,815, flow to the nozzle. The be achieved due to Friction and wear must be 09/112,808 ink pressure is pulsed reduced refill time considered at a multiple of the Drop timing can Stiction is possible drop ejection frequency. be very accurate The actuator energy can be very low Shuttered grill The actuator moves a Actuators with Moving parts are required 09/113,066, shutter to block ink small travel can be Requires ink pressure modulator 09/112,772, flow through a grill to used Friction and wear must be 09/113,096, the nozzle. The shutter Actuators with considered 09/113,068 movement need only small force can be Stiction is possible be equal to the width used of the grill holes. High speed (>50(kHz) operation can be achieved Pulsed magnetic A pulsed magnetic Extremely low energy Requires an external pulsed 09/112,779 pull on ink pusher field attracts an ‘ink operation is possible magnetic field pusher’ at the drop No heat dissipation Requires special materials for both ejection frequency. An problems the actuator and the ink pusher actuator controls a Complex construction catch, which prevents the ink pusher from moving when a drop is not to be ejected.

AUXILIARY MECHANISM (APPLIED TO ALL NOZZLES) Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples None The actuator directly Simplicity of Drop ejection energy must be Most ink jets, including piezoelectric fires the ink drop, and construction supplied by individual nozzle and thermal bubble. there is no external Simplicity of actuator 09/112,751, field or other operation 09/112,787, mechanism required. Small physical size 09/112,802, 09/112,803, 09/113,097, 09/113,084, 09/112,778, 09/113,077, 09/113,061, 09/112,816, 09/113,095, 09/112,809, 09/112,780, 09/113,083, 09/113,121, 09/113,122, 09/112,793, 09/112,794, 09/113,128, 09/113,127, 09/112,756, 09/112,755, 09/112,754, 09/112,811, 09/112,812, 09/112,813, 09/112,814, 09/112,764, 09/112,765, 09/112,767, 09/112,768, 09/112,807, 09/112,806, 09/112,820 Oscillating ink The ink pressure Oscillating ink Requires external ink pressure Silverbrook, EP 0771 658 A2 and pressure (including oscillates, providing pressure can provide oscillator related patent applications acoustic stimulation much of the drop a refill pulse, Ink pressure phase and amplitude 09/113,066, ejection energy. The allowing higher must be carefully controlled 09/112,818, actuator selects which operating speed Acoustic reflections in the ink 09/112,772, drops are to be fired The actuators chamber must be designed for 09/112,815, by selectively may operate with 09/113,096, blocking or enabling much lower energy 09/113,068, nozzles. The ink Acoustic lenses 09/112,808 pressure oscillation can be used to focus may be achieved by the sound on the vibrating the print nozzles head, or preferably by an actuator in the ink supply. Media proximity The print head is placed Low power Precision assembly required Silverbrook, EP 0771 658 A2 and in close proximity to the High accuracy Paper fibers may cause problems related patent applications print medium. Selected Simple print head Cannot print on rough substrates drops protrude from construction the print head further than unselected drops, and contact the print medium. The drop soaks into the medium fast enough to cause drop separation. Transfer roller Drops are printed to a High accuracy Bulky Silverbrcok, EP 0771 658 A2 and transfer roller instead Wide range of print Expensive related patent applications of straight to the print substrates can be used Complex construction Tektronix hot melt piezoelectric ink jet medium. A transfer Ink can be dried on Any of the forty-five series roller can also be used the transfer roller for proximity drop separation. Electro-static An electric field is Low power Field strength required for Silverbrook, EP 0771 658 A2 and used to accelerate Simple print head separation of small drops is related patent applications selected drops towards construction near or above air breakdown Tone-Jet the print medium. Direct magnetic field A magnetic field is Low power Requires magnetic ink Silverbrook,EP 0771 658 A2 and used to accelerate Simple print head Requires strong magnetic field related patent applications selected drops of construction magnetic ink towards the print medium. Cross magnetic field The print head is Does not require Requires external magnet 09/113,099, placed in a constant magnetic materials Current densities may be high, 09/112,819 magnetic field. The to be integrated in resulting in electromigration Lorenz force in a the print head problems current carrying wire manufacturing is used to move the process actuator. Pulsed magnetic field A pulsed magnetic Very low power Complex print head construction 09/112,779 field is used to operation is possible Magnetic materials required in cyclically attract a Small print head print head paddle, which pushes size on the ink. A small actuator moves a catch, which selectively prevents the paddle from moving.

ACTUATOR AMPLIFICATION OR MODIFICATION METHOD Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples None No actuator mechanical Operational simplicity Many actuator mechanisms have Thermal Bubble Ink jet amplification is used insufficient travel, or insufficient 09/112,751, The actuator directly force, to efficiently drive the drop 09/112,787, drives the drop ejection process 09/113,099, ejection process. 09/113,084, 09/112,819, 09/113,121, 09/113,122 Differential An actuator material Provides greater High stresses are involved Piezoelectric expansion bend expands more on one travel in a reduced Care must be taken that the 09/112,802, actuator side than on the other. print head area materials do not delaminate 09/112,778, The expansion may be Residual bend resulting from high 09/112,815, thermal, piezoelectric, temperature or high stress 09/113,096, magnetostrictive, or during formation 09/113,068, other mechanism. The 09/113,095, bend actuator converts 09/112,808, a high force low travel 09/112,809, actuator mechanism to 09/112,780, high travel, lower 09/113,083, force mechanism. 09/112,793, 09/113,128, 09/113,127, 09/112,756, 09/112,755, 09/112,754, 09/112,811, 09/112,812, 09/112,813, 09/112,814, 09/112,764, 09/112,765, 09/112,807, 09/112,806, 09/112,820 Transient bend A trilayer bend Very good High stresses are involved 09/112,767, actuator actuator where the two temperature stability Care must be taken that the 09/112,768 outside layers are High speed, as a materials do not delaminate identical. This cancels new drop can be bend due to ambient fired before heat temperature and dissipates residual stress. The Cancels residual actuator only responds stress of formation to transient heating of one side or the other. Reverse spring The actuator loads a Better coupling Fabrication complexity 09/113,097, spring. When the to the ink High stress in the spring 09/113,077 actuator is turned off, the spring releases. This can reverse the force/distance curve of the actuator to make it compatible with the force/time requirements of the drop ejection. Actuator stack A series of thin Increased travel Increased fabrication complexity Some piezoelectric ink jets actuators are stacked. Reduced drive voltage Increased possibility of short 09/112,803 This can be appropriate circuits due to pinholes where actuators require high electric field strength, such as electrostatic and piezoelectric actuators. Multiple actuators Multiple smaller Increases the Actuator forces may not add 09/113,06#, actuators are used force available from linearly, reducing efficiency 09/112,818, simultaneously to an actuator 09/113,096, move the ink. Each Multiple actuators can 09/113,095, actuator need provide be positioned to 09/112,809, only a portion of the control ink flow 09/112,794, force required. accurately 09/112,807, 09/112,806 Linear Spring A linear spring is used Matches low Requires print head area for the 09/112,772 to transform a motion travel actuator with spring with small travel and higher travel high force into a requirements longer travel, lower Non-contact force motion. method of motion transformation Coiled actuator A bend actuator is Increases travel Generally restricted to planar 09/112,815, coiled to provide Reduces chip area implementations due to extreme 09/112,808, greater travel in a Planar fabrication difficulty in other 09/112,811, reduced chip area. implementations are orientations. 09/112,812 relatively easy to fabricate. Flexure bend A bend actuator has a Simple means of Care must be taken not to exceed 09/112,779, actuator small region near the increasing travel of the elastic limit in the flexure area 09/113,068, fixture point, which a bend actuator Stress distribution is very uneven 09/112,754 flexes much more readily Difficult to accurately model than the remainder of the with finite element analysis actuator. The actuator flexing is effectively converted from an even coiling to an angular bend, resulting in greater travel of the actuator tip. Catch The actuator controls a Very low actuator Complex construction 09/112,779 small catch. The catch energy Requires external force either enables or Very small Unsuitable for pigmented inks disables movement of actuator size an ink pusher that is controlled in a bulk manner. Gears Gears can be used to Low force, low Moving parts are required 09/112,818 increase travel at the travel actuators can Several actuator cycles are required expense of duration. be used More complex drive electronics Circular gears, rack Can be fabricated Complex construction and pinion, ratchets, using standard Friction, friction, and wear are and other gearing surface MEMS possible methods can be used. processes Buckle plate A buckle plate can be Very fast movement Must stay within elastic limits of S. Hirata et al, “An Ink-jet Head used to change a slow achievable the materials for long device life Using Diaphragm Microactuator”, actuator into a fast High stresses involved Proc. IEEE MEMS, motion. It can also Generally high power requirement Feb. 1996, pp 418-423 convert a high force, 09/113,096, low travel actuator 09/112,793 into a high travel, medium force motion. Tapered magnetic A tapered magnetic Linearizes the Complex 09/112,816 pole pole can increase magnetic construction travel at the expense force/distance curve of force. Lever A lever and fulcrum is Matches low travel High stress around the fulcrum 09/112,755, used to transform a actuator with higher 09/112,813, motion with small travel requirements 09/112,814 travel and high force Fulcrum area has into a motion with no linear movement, longer travel and and can be used for lower force. The lever a fluid seal can also reverse the direction of travel. Rotary Impeller The actuator is High mechanical Complex construction 09/112,794 connected to a rotary advantage Unsuitable for pigmented inks impeller. A small The ratio of force angular deflection of to travel of the the actuator results in actuator can be a rotation of the matched to the nozzle impeller vanes, which requirements by push the ink against varying the number stationary vanes and of impeller vanes out of the nozzle. Acoustic lens A refractive or No moving parts Large area required 1993 Hadimioglu et al, EUP 550,192 diffractive (e.g. zone Only relevant for acoustic ink jets 1993 Elrod et al, EUP 572,220 plate) acoustic lens is used to concentrate sound waves. Sharp conductive A sharp point is used Simple construction Difficult to fabricate using standard Tone-jet point to concentrate an VLSI processes for a surface electrostatic field. ejecting ink-jet Only relevant for electrostatic ink jets

ACTUATOR MOTION Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples Volume expansion The volume of the Simple construction High energy is typically required Hewlett-Packard Thermal Ink jet actuator changes, in the case of to achieve volume expansion. Canon Bubblejet pushing the ink in all thermal ink jet This leads to thermal stress, directions. cavitation, and kogation in thermal ink jet implementations Linear, normal to The actuator moves in Efficient coupling to High fabrication complexity may 09/112,751, chip surface a direction normal to ink drops ejected be required to achieve 09/112,787, the print head surface. normal to the perpendicular motion 09/112,803, The nozzle is typically surface 09/113,084, in the line of 09/113,077, movement. 09/112,816 Parallel to chip The actuator moves Suitable for Fabrication complexity 09/113,061, surface parallel to the print planar fabrication Friction 09/112,818, head surface. Drop Stiction 09/112,772, ejection may still be 09/112,754, normal to the surface. 09/112,811, 09/112,812, 09/112,813 Membrane push An actuator with a The effective area Fabrication complexity 1982 Howkins high force but small of the actuator Actuator size U.S. Pat. No. 4,459,601 area is used to push a becomes the Difficulty of integration in a stiff membrane that is membrane area VLSI process in contact with the ink. Rotary The actuator causes Rotary levers Device complexity 09/113,097, the rotation of some may be used to May have friction at a pivot 09/113,066, element, such a grill or increase travel point 09/112,818, impeller. Small chip area 09/112,794 requirements Bend The actuator bends A very small Requires the actuator to be made 1970 Kyser et al when energized. This change in from at least two distinct layers, U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,398 may be due to dimensions can be or to have a thermal difference 1973 Stemme differential thermal converted to a large across the actuator U.S. Pat. No. 3,747,120 expansion, motion. 09/112,802, piezoelectric expansion, 09/112,778, magnetostriction, or 09/112,779, other form of relative 09/113,068, dimensional change. 09/112,780, 09/113,083, 09/113,121, 09/113,128, 09/113,127, 09/112,756, 09/112,754, 09/112,811, 09/112,812 Swivel The actuator swivels Allows operation Inefficient coupling to the ink 09/113,099 around a central pivot. where the net linear motion This motion is suitable force on the paddle where there are is zero opposite forces Small chip area applied to opposite requirements sides of the paddle, e.g. Lorenz force. Straighten The actuator is Can be used with Requires careful balance of stresses 09/113,122, nortnally bent, and shape memory to ensure that the quiescent bend 09/112,755 straightens when alloys where the is accurate energized. austenic phase is planar Double bend The actuator bends in One actuator can Difficult to make the drops ejected 09/112,813, one direction when be used to power by both bend directions identical. 09/112,814, one element is two nozzles. A small efficiency loss compared 09/112,764 energized, and bends Reduced chip size. to equivalent single bend actuators. the other way when Not sensitive to another element is ambient temperature energized. Shear Energizing the actuator Can increase the Not readily applicable to other 1985 Fishbeck causes a shear motion effective travel of actuator mechanisms U.S. Pat. No. 4,584,590 in the actuator material. piezoelectric actuators Radial constriction The actuator squeezes Relatively easy High force required 1970 Zoltan an ink reservoir, to fabricate single Inefficient U.S. Pat. No. 3,683,212 forcing ink from a nozzles from glass Difficult to integrate with VLSI constricted nozzle. tubing as macroscopic processes structures Coil/uncoil A coiled actuator Easy to fabricate Difficult to fabricate for non- 09/112,815, uncoils or coils more as a planar VLSI planar devices 09/112,808, tightly. The motion of process 09/112,811, the free end of the Small area required, Poor out-of-plane stiffness 09/112,812 actuator ejects the ink. therefore low cost Bow The actuator bows (or Can increase the Maximum travel is constrained 09/112,819, buckles) in the middle speed of travel 09/113,096, when energized. Mechanically rigid High force required 09/112,793 Push-Pull Two actuators control The structure is Not readily suitable for ink jets 09/113,096 a shutter. One actuator pinned at both ends, which directly push the ink pulls the shutter, and so has a high out-of- the other pushes it. plane rigidity Curl inwards A set of actuators curl Good fluid flow Design complexity 09/113,095, inwards to reduce the to the region behind 09/112,807 volume of ink that the actuator they enclose. increases efficiency Curl outwards A set of actuators curl Relatively simple Relatively large chip area 09/112,806 outwards, pressurizing construction ink in a chamher surrounding the actuators, and expelling ink from a nozzle in the chamber. Iris Multiple vanes enclose High efficiency High fabrication complexity 09/112,809 a volume of ink. These Small chip area Not suitable for pigmented inks simultaneously rotate, reducing the volume between the vanes. Acoustic vibration The actuator vibrates The actuator can Large area required for efficient 1993 Hadimioglu et al, EUP 550,192 at a high frequency. be physically distant operation at useful frequencies 1993 Elrod et al, EUP 572,220 from the ink Acoustic coupling and crosstalk Complex drive circuitry Poor control of drop volume and position None In various ink jet No moving pans Various other tradeoffs are Silverbrook, EP 0771 658 A2 and designs the actuator required to eliminate moving parts related patent applications does not move. Tone-jet

NOZZLE REFILL METHOD Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples Surface tension This is the normal way Fabrication simplicity Low speed Thermal ink jet that inkjets are refilled. Operational simplicity Surface tension force relatively Piezoelectric ink jet After the actuator is small compared to actuator force 09/112,751, energized, it typically Long refill time usually dominates 09/112,787, returns rapidly to its the total repetition rate 09/112,802, normal position. 09/112,803, This rapid return sucks 09/113,097, in air through the 09/113,099, nozzle opening. 09/113,084, The ink surface tension 09/112,779, at the nozzle then exerts 09/113,077, a small force restoring 09/113,061, the meniscus to a 09/112,818, minimum area. This 09/112,816, force refills the nozzle. 09/112,819, 09/113,095, 09/112,809, 09/112,780, 09/113,083, 09/113,121, 09/113,122, 09/112,793, 09/112,794, 09/113,128, 09/113,127, 09/112,756, 09/112,755, 09/112,754, 09/112,811, 09/112,812, 09/112,813, 09/112,814, 09/112,764, 09/112,765, 09/112,767, 09/112,768, 09/112,807, 09/112,806, 09/112,820, 09/112,821, Shuttered oscillating Ink to the nozzle High speed Requires common ink 09/113,066, ink pressure chamber is provided at Low actuator energy, pressure oscillator 09/112,818, a pressure that as the actuator May not be suitable for 09/112,772, oscillates at twice the need only open or pigmented inks 09/112,815, drop ejection frequency. close the shutter, 09/113,096, When a drop is to be instead of ejecting 09/113,068, ejected, the shutter is the ink drop 09/112,808 opened for 3 half cycles: drop ejection, actuator return, and refill. The shutter is then closed to prevent the nozzle chamber emptying during the next negative pressure cycle. Refill actuator After the main High speed,as Requires two independent 09/112,778 actuator has ejected a the nozzle is actuators per nozzle drop a second (refill) actively refilled actuator is energized. The refill actuator pushes ink into the nozzle chamber. The refill actuator returns slowly, to prevent its return from emptying the chamber again. Positive ink pressure The ink is held a slight High refill rate, Surface spill must be prevented Silverbrook, EP 0771 658 A2 and positive pressure. therefore a high Highly hydrophobic print head related patent applications After the ink drop is drop repetition rate surfaces are required Alternative for: , , ejected, the nozzle is possible 09/112,751, chamber fills quickly 09/112,787, as surface tension and 09/112,802, ink pressure both 09/112,803, operate to refill the 09/113,097, nozzle. 09/113,099, 09/113,084, 09/112,779 09/113,077, 09/113,061, 09/112,818, 09/112,816, 09/112,819, 09/113,095, 09/112,809, 09/112,780, 09/113,083, 09/113,121, 09/113,122, 09/112,793, 09/112,794, 09/113,128, 09/113,127, 09/112,756, 09/112,755, 09/112,754, 09/112,811, 09/112,812, 09/112,813, 09/112,814, 09/112,764, 09/112,765, 09/112,767, 09/112,768, 09/112,807, 09/112,806, 09/112,820, 09/112,821,

METHOD OF RESTRICTING BACK-FLOW THROUGH INLET Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples Long inlet channel The ink inlet channel Design simplicity Restricts refill rate Thermal ink jet to the nozzle chamber Operational simplicity May result in a relatively large Piezoelectric ink jet is made long and Reduces crosstalk chip area 09/112,807, relatively narrow, Only partially effective 09/112,806 relying on viscous Drop selection Requires a method (such as a Silverbrook, EP drag to reduce inlet and separation nozzle rim or effective 0771 658 A2 and back-flow. forces can be hydrophobizing, or both) to related patent applications Positive ink pressure The ink is under a reduced prevent flooding of the ejection Possible operation of the following: positive pressure, so Fast refill time surface of the print head. 09/112,751, that in the quiescent 09/112,787, state some of the ink 09/112,802, drop already protrudes 09/112,803, from the nozzle. 09/113,097, This reduces the 09/113,099, pressure in the nozzle 09/113,084, chamher which is 09/112,778, required to eject a 09/112,779, certain volume of ink. 09/113,077, The reduction in 09/113,061, chamber pressure 09/112,816, results in a reduction 09/112,819, in ink pushed out 09/113,095, through the inlet. 09/112,809, 09/112,780 09/113,083, 09/113,121, 09/113,122, 09/112,793, 09/112,794, 09/113,128, 09/113,127, 09/112,756, 09/112,755, 09/112,754, 09/112,811, 09/112,813, 09/112,814, 09/112,764, 09/112,765, 09/112,767, 09/112,768, 09/112,820 Baffle One or more baffles The refill rate is Design complexity HP Thermal Ink Jet are placed in the inlet not as restricted as May increase fabrication complexity Tektronix piezoelectric ink jet ink flow. When the the long inlet complexity (e.g. Tektronix hot actuator is energized, method. melt Piezoelectric print heads). the rapid ink Reduces crosstalk movement creates eddies which restrict the flow through the inlet. The slower refill process is unrestricted, and does not result in eddies. Flexible flap In this method recently Significantly Not applicabie to most ink jet Canon restricts inlet disclosed by Canon, reduces back-flow configurations the expanding actuator for edge-shooter Increased fabrication complexity (bubble) pushes on a thermal ink jet Inelastic deformation of polymer flexible flap that devices flap results in creep over restricts the inlet. extended use Inlet filter A filter is located Additional advantage Restricts refill rate 09/112,803, between the ink inlet of ink filtration May result in complex construction 09/113,061, and the nozzle. Ink filter may be  9/113,083, chamber. The filter fabricated with no 09/112,793, has a multitude of additional process 09/113,128, small holes or slots, steps 09/113,127 restricting ink flow. The filter also removes particles which may block the nozzle. Small inlet The ink inlet channel Design simplicity Restricts refill rate 09/112,787, compared to nozzle to the nozzle chamber May result in a relatively large 09/112,814, has a substantially chip area 09/112,820 smaller cross section Only partially effective than that of the nozzle, resulting in easier ink egress out of the nozzle than out of the inlet. Inlet shutter A secondary actuator Increases speed Requires separate refill actuator 09/112,778 controls the position of of the ink-jet print and drive circuit a shutter, closing off head operation the ink inlet when the main actuator is energized. The Inlet is located The method avoids the Back-flow problem Requires careful design to 09/112,751, behind the problem of inlet back- is eliminated minimize the negative pressure 09/112,802, ink-pushing surface flow by arranging the behind the paddle 09/113,097, ink-pushing surface of 09/113,099, the actuator between 09/113,084, the inlet and the nozzle. 09/112,779, 09/113,077, 09/112,816, 09/112,819, 09/112,809, 09/112,780, 09/113,121, 09/112,794, 09/112,756, 09/112,755, 09/112,754, 09/112,811, 09/112,812, 09/112,813, 09/112,765, 09/112,767, 09/112,768 Part of the actuator The actuator and a wall Significant Small increase in 09/113,084, moves to shut off of the ink chamber are reductions in back- fabrication complexity 09/113,095, the inlet arranged so that the flow can be 09/113,122, motion of the actuator achieved 09/112,764 closes off the inlet. Compact designs possible Nozzle actuator In some configurations Ink back-flow None related to ink back-flow on Silverbrook, EP 0771 658 A2 and does not result in of inkjet, there is no problem is eliminated actuation related patent applications ink back-flow expansion or movement Valve-jet of an actuator which may Tone-jet cause ink back-flow through the inlet.

NOZZLE CLEARING METHOD Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples Normal All of the nozzles are No added May not be Most ink jet nozzle fired periodically, complexity on the sufficient to systems firing before the ink has a print head displace dried ink 09/112,751, chance to dry. When 09/112,787, not in use the nozzles 09/112,802, are sealed (capped) 09/112,803, against air. 09/113,097, The nozzle firing is 09/113,099, usually performed 09/113,084, during a special 09/112,778, clearing cycle, after 09/112,779, first moving the print 09/113,077, head to a cleaning 09/113,061, station. 09/112,816, 09/112,819, 09/113,095, 09/112,809, 09/112,780, 09/113,083, 09/113,121, 09/113,122, 09/112,793, 09/112,794, 09/113,128, 09/113,127, 09/112,756, 09/112,755, 09/112,754, 09/112,811, 09/112,813, 09/112,814, 09/112,764, 09/112,765, 09/112,767, 09/112,768, 09/112,807, 09/112,806, 09/112,820, 09/112,821 Extra In systems which heat Can be highly Requires higher Silverbrook, EP power to the ink, but do not boil effective if the drive voltage for 0771 658 A2 and ink heater it under normal heater is adjacent to clearing related patent situations, nozzle the nozzle May require applications clearing can be larger drive achieved by over- transistors powering the heater and boiling ink at the nozzle. Rapid The actuator is fired in Does not require Effectiveness May be used succession rapid succession. In extra drive circuits depends with: of some configurations, on the print head substantially upon 09/112,751, actuator this may cause heat Can be readily the configuration of 09/112,787, pulses build-up at the nozzle controlled and the ink jet nozzle 09/112,802, which boils the ink, initiated by digital 09/112,803, clearing the nozzle. In logic 09/113,097, other situations, it may 09/113,099, cause sufficient 09/113,084, vibrations to dislodge 09/112,778, clogged nozzles. 09/112,779, 09/113,077, 09/112,816, 09/112,819, 09/113,095, 09/112,809, 09/112,780, 09/113,083, 09/113,121, 09/112,793, 09/112,794, 09/113,128, 09/113,127, 09/112,756, 09/112,755, 09/112,754, 09/112,811, 09/112,813, 09/112,814, 09/112,764, 09/112,765, 09/112,767, 09/112,768, 09/112,807, 09/112,806, 09/112,820, 09/112,821 Extra Where an actuator is A simple Not suitable May be used power to not normally driven to solution where where there is a with: ink the limit of its motion, applicable hard limit to 09/112,802, pushing nozzle clearing may be actuator movement 09/112,778, actuator assisted by providing 09/112,819, an enhanced drive 09/113,095, signal to the actuator. 09/112,780, 09/113,083, 09/113,121, 09/112,793, 09/113,128, 09/113,127, 09/112,756, 09/112,755, 09/112,765, 09/112,767, 09/112,768, 09/112,807, 09/112,806, 09/112,820, 09/112,821 Acoustic An ultrasonic wave is A high nozzle High 09/113,066, resonance applied to the ink clearing capability implementation cost 09/112,818, chamber. This wave is can be achieved if system does not 09/112,772, of an appropriate May be already include an 09/112,815, amplitude and implemented at very acoustic actuator 09/113,096, frequency to cause low cost in systems 09/113,068, sufficient force at the which already 09/112,808 nozzle to clear include acoustic blockages. This is actuators easiest to achieve if the ultrasonic wave is at a resonant frequency of the ink cavity. Nozzle A microfabricated Can clear Accurate Silverbrook, EP clearing plate is pushed against severely clogged mechanical 0771 658 A2 and plate the nozzles. The plate nozzles alignment is related patent has a post for every required applications nozzle. A post moves Moving parts are through each nozzle, required displacing dried ink. There is risk of damage to the nozzles Accurate fabrication is required Ink The pressure of the ink May be effective Requires May be used pressure is temporarily where other pressure pump or with all forty-five pulse increased so that ink methods cannot be other pressure series ink jets streams from all of the used actuator nozzles. This may be Expensive used in conjunction Wasteful of ink with actuator energizing. Print head A flexible ‘blade’ is Effective for Difficult to use if Many ink jet wiper wiped across the print planar print head print head surface is systems head surface. The surfaces non-planar or very blade is usually Low cost fragile fabricated from a Requires flexible polymer, e.g. mechanical parts rubber or synthetic Blade can wear elastomer. out in high volume print systems Separate A separate heater is Can be effective Fabrication Can be used with ink boiling provided at the nozzle where other nozzle complexity many forty-five heater although the normal clearing methods series ink jets drop e-ection cannot be used mechanism does not Can be require it. The heaters implemented at no do not require additional cost in individual drive some ink jet circuits, as many configurations nozzles can be cleared simultaneously, and no imaging is required.

NOZZLE PLATE CONSTRUCTION Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples Electro- A nozzle plate is Fabrication High Hewlett Packard formed separately fabricated simplicity temperatures and Thermal Ink jet nickel from electroformed pressures are nickel, and bonded to required to bond the print head chip. nozzle plate Minimum thickness constraints Differential thermal expansion Laser Individual nozzle No masks Each hole must Canon Bubblejet ablated or holes are ablated by an required be individually 1988 Sercel et al., drilled intense UV laser in a Can be quite fast formed SPIE, Vol. 998 polymer nozzle plate, which is Some control Special Excimer Beam typically a polymer over nozzle profile equipment required Applications, such as polyimide or is possible Slow where there pp. 76-83 polysulphone Equipment are many thousands 1993 Watanabe required is relatively of nozzles per print et al., U.S. Pat. No. low cost head 5,208,604 May produce thin burrs at exit holes Silicon A separate nozzle High accuracy is Two part K. Bean, IEEE micro- plate is attainable construction Transactions on machined micromachined from High cost Electron Devices, single crystal silicon, Requires Vol. ED-25, No. 10, and bonded to the precision alignment 1978, pp 1185-1195 print head wafer. Nozzles may be Xerox 1990 clogged by adhesive Hawkins et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,181 Glass Fine glass capillaries No expensive Very small 1970 Zoltan U.S. Pat. No. capillaries are drawn from glass equipment required nozzle sizes are 3,683,212 tubing. This method Simple to make difficult to form has been used for single nozzles Not suited for making individual mass production nozzles, but is difficult to use for bulk manufacturing of print heads with thousands of nozzles. Monolithic, The nozzle plate is High accuracy Requires Silverbrook, EP surface deposited as a layer (<1 μm) sacrificial layer 0771 658 A2 and micro- using standard VLSI Monolithic under the nozzle related patent machined deposition techniques. Low cost plate to form the applications using VLSI Nozzles are etched in Existing nozzle chamber 09/112,751, litho- the nozzle plate using processes can be Surface may be 09/112,787, graphic VLSI lithography and used fragile to the touch 09/112,803, processes etching. 09/113,077, 09/113,061, 09/112,815, 09/113,096, 09/113,095, 09/112,809, 09/113,083, 09/112,793, 09/112,794, 09/113,128, 09/113,127, 09/112,756, 09/112,755, 09/112,754, 09/112,811, 09/112,813, 09/112,814, 09/112,764, 09/112,765, 09/112,767, 09/112,768, 09/112,807, 09/112,806, 09/112,820 Monolithic, The nozzle plate is a High accuracy Requires long 09/112,802, etched buried etch stop in the (<1 μm) etch times 09/113,097, through wafer. Nozzle Monolithic Requires a 09/113,099, substrate chambers are etched in Low cost support wafer 09/113,084, the front of the wafer, No differential 09/113,066, and the wafer is expansion 09/112,778, thinned from the back 09/112,779, side. Nozzles are then 09/112,818, etched in the etch stop 09/112,816, layer. 09/112,772, 09/112,819, 09/113,068, 09/112,808, 09/112,780, 09/113,121, 09/113,122 No nozzle Various methods have No nozzles to Difficult to Ricoh 1995 plate been tried to eliminate become clogged control drop Sekiya et al U.S. Pat. No. the nozzles entirely, to position accurately 5,412,413 prevent nozzle Crosstalk 1993 Hadimioglu clogging. These problems et al EUP 550,192 include thermal bubble 1993 Elrod et al mechanisms and EUP 572,220 acoustic lens mechanisms Trough Each drop ejector has Reduced Drop firing 09/112,812 a trough through manufacturing direction is sensitive which a paddle moves. complexity to wicking. There is no nozzle Monolithic plate. Nozzle slit The elimination of No nozzles to Difficult to 1989 Saito et al instead of nozzle holes and become clogged control drop U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,068 individual replacement by a slit position accurately nozzles encompassing many Crosstalk actuator positions problems reduces nozzle clogging, but increases crosstalk due to ink surface waves

DROP EJECTION DIRECTION Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples Edge Ink flow is along the Simple Nozzles limited Canon Bubblejet (‘edge surface of the chip, construction to edge 1979 Endo et al GB shooter’) and ink drops are No silicon High resolution patent 2,007,162 ejected from the chip etching required is difficult Xerox heater-in- edge. Good heat Fast color pit 1990 Hawkins et al sinking via substrate printing requires U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,181 Mechanically one print head per Tone-jet strong color Ease of chip handing Surface Ink flow is along the No bulk silicon Maximum ink Hewlett-Packard (‘roof surface of the chip, etching required flow is severely TIJ 1982 Vaught et al shooter’) and ink drops are Silicon can make restricted U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,728 ejected from the chip an effective heat 09/112,787, surface, normal to the sink 09/113,077, plane of the chip. Mechanical 09/113,061, strength 09/113,095, 09/112,809 Through Ink flow is through the High ink flow Requires bulk Silverbrook, EP chip, chip, and ink drops are Suitable for silicon etching 0771 658 A2 and forward ejected from the front pagewidth print related patent (‘up surface of the chip. heads applications shooter’) High nozzle 09/112,803, packing density 09/112,815, therefore low 09/113,096, manufacturing cost 09/113,083, 09/112,793, 09/112,794, 09/113,128, 09/113,127, 09/112,756, 09/112,755, 09/112,754, 09/112,811, 09/112,812, 09/112,813, 09/112,814, 09/112,764, 09/112,765, 09/112,767, 09/112,768, 09/112,807, 09/112,806, 09/112,820, 09/112,821, Through Ink flow is through the High ink flow Requires wafer 09/112,751, chip, chip, and ink drops are Suitable for thinning 09/112,802, reverse ejected from the rear pagewidth print Requires special 09/113,097, (‘down surface of the chip. heads handling during 09/113,099, shooter’) High nozzle manufacture 09/113,084, packing density 09/113,066, therefore low 09/112,778, manufacturing cost 09/112,779, 09/112,818, 09/112,816, 09/112,772, 09/112,819, 09/113,068, 09/112,808, 09/112,780, 09/113,121, 09/113,122 Through Ink flow is through the Suitable for Pagewidth print Epson Stylus actuator actuator, which is not piezoelectric print heads require Tektronix hot fabricated as part of heads several thousand melt piezoelectric the same substrate as connections to drive ink jets the drive transistors. circuits Cannot be manufactured in standard CMOS fabs Complex assembly required

INK TYPE Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples Aqueous, Water based ink which Environmentally Slow drying Most existing ink dye typically contains: friendly Corrosive jets water, dye, surfactant, No odor Bleeds on paper All forty-five humectant, and May series ink jets biocide. strikethrough Silverbrook, EP Modern ink dyes have Cockles paper 0771 658 A2 and high water-fastness, related patent light fastness applications Aqueous, Water based ink which Environmentally Slow drying 09/112,787, pigment typically contains: friendly Corrosive 09/112,803, water, pigment, No odor Pigment may 09/112,808, surfactant, humectant, Reduced bleed clog nozzles 09/113,122, and biocide. Reduced wicking Pigment may 09/112,793, Pigments have an Reduced clog actuator 09/113,127 advantage in reduced strikethrough mechanisms Silverbrook, EP bleed, wicking and Cockles paper 0771 658 A2 and strikethrough. related patent applications Piezoelectric ink- jets Thermal ink jets (with significant restrictions) Methyl MEK is a highly Very fast drying Odorous All forty-five Ethyl volatile solvent used Prints on various Flammable series ink jets Ketone for industrial printing substrates such as (MEK) on difficult surfaces metals and plastics such as aluminum cans. Alcohol Alcohol based inks Fast drying Slight odor All forty-five (ethanol, can be used where the Operates at sub- Flammable series ink jets 2-butanol, printer must operate at freezing and temperatures below temperatures others) the freezing point of Reduced paper water. An example of cockle this is in-camera Low cost consumer photographic printing. Phase The ink is solid at No drying time- High viscosity Tektronix hot change room temperature, and ink instantly freezes Printed ink melt piezoelectric (hot melt) is melted in the print on the print medium typically has a ink jets head before jetting. Almost any print ‘waxy’ feel 1989 Nowak Hot melt inks are medium can be used Printed pages U.S. Pat. No. 4,820,346 usually wax based, No paper cockle may ‘block’ All forty-five with a melting point occurs Ink temperature series ink jets around 80° C. After No wicking may be above the jetting the ink freezes occurs curie point of almost instantly upon No bleed occurs permanent magnets contacting the print No strikethrough Ink heaters medium or a transfer occurs consume power roller. Long warm-up time Oil Oil based inks are High solubility High viscosity: All forty-five extensively used in medium for some this is a significant series ink jets offset printing. They dyes limitation for use in have advantages in Does not cockle ink jets, which improved paper usually require a characteristics on Does not wick low viscosity. Some paper (especially no through paper short chain and wicking or cockle). multi-branched oils Oil soluble dies and have a sufficiently pigments are required. low viscosity. Slow drying Micro- A microemulsion is a Stops ink bleed Viscosity higher All forty-five emulsion stable, self forming High dye than water series ink jets emulsion of oil, water, solubility Cost is slightly and surfactant. The Water, oil, and higher than water characteristic drop size amphiphilic soluble based ink is less than 100 nm, dies can be used High surfactant and is determined by Can stabilize concentration the preferred curvature pigment required (around of the surfactant. suspensions 5%) 

I claim:
 1. A method of manufacturing an ink jet printhead the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a semiconductor wafer having an electrical circuitry layer and a buried epitaxial layer formed thereon; (b) etching a plurality of ink chamber cavities in the wafer, and stopping the etching at substantially the buried epitaxial layer; (c) depositing a first sacrificial material layer on the wafer and etching the first sacrificial material layer to define vias for electrical interconnection of the electrical circuitry layer with subsequent layers; (d) depositing a first expansion layer of material over the ink chamber cavities, the first expansion layer having a coefficient of thermal expansion that facilitates displacement of the first expansion layer when heat is applied to the layer; (e) depositing a conductive material layer on the first expansion layer and etching the conductive material layer to form heater elements that are conductively interconnected to the electrical circuitry layer of the wafer; (f) depositing a second expansion layer of material over the conductive material layer, the second expansion layer having a coefficient of thermal expansion that facilitates displacement of the second expansion layer when heat is applied to the layer, and etching the first and second expansion layers to define a plurality of thermal actuators, one for each ink chamber cavity, so that each thermal actuator comprises a heater element positioned between layers of the expansion material, and a plurality of shutters, one shutter positioned over each of the ink chamber cavities; (g) back etching the wafer to the epitaxial layer; and (h) etching a plurality of nozzle apertures, one for each ink chamber cavity, in the epitaxial layer.
 2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the epitaxial layer is utilized as an etch stop when etching the ink chamber cavities.
 3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ink chamber cavities are formed by plasma etching the wafer.
 4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the conductive material layer is formed with substantially pure gold.
 5. A method as claimed in claim 1 further including the step of depositing corrosion barriers over portions of the wafer to reduce corrosion effects.
 6. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the wafer comprises a double sided polished CMOS wafer.
 7. A method as claimed in claim 1 which includes separating the wafer into printhead chips. 